The best game of 2022 is finally here. Developed by BlueTwelve Studio, Stray lets players control a wayward cat that gets separated from its clowder and must explore a mysterious, desolate city. Boasting a mix of platforming, puzzles, and chase sequences, Stray is more than just wandering around as an adorable feline.
While this is a video game, some folks may just want to wander around this Cyberpunk dystopian society as an adorable feline without any fear of death or harm. After all, it can be difficult to watch an animal get hurt — especially one you’re directly controlling. To help those who don’t want to see this cute cat in any danger, here is what you can expect when playing Stray.
Can the Cat Get Hurt?
Yes. The cat can get hurt and die in multiple instances throughout Stray‘s eight to 10-hour story.
Before I get into the details, we will be entering minor spoiler territory here for the enemies you’ll encounter. If you want to go in completely blind, just know the cat can take damage, be killed, and will limp around on a hurt leg in a couple of instances.
The main way the cat can die is by being swarmed by Zurks. These terrifying creatures are the main threat in Stray, as they will attempt to swarm and consume any lifeform that crosses their path.
While they look like the Headcrab enemies from the Half-Life franchise, Zurks don’t turn anyone into a zombie. Instead, when they attack the player they will latch on like leeches, forcing you to mash a button to knock them off. If too many Zurks grab you, the cat will collapse and die. There is no blood or gore, although the death itself can be a bit hard to watch if you have a fondness for felines.
Another way the cat can die is from being zapped with electricity. In the later levels, you will need to contest with flying drones that fire small energy bolts. You can outright avoid these enemies since they only attack if you’re detected, but they will kill you in a single shot if you’re discovered.
Alternatively, you can also get shocked by electric trip wires you’ll need to avoid. If you touch one, the cat will jump bat and yelp out in pain.
Finally, there are a couple of moments in the story where the cat will fall from a great height and hurt its leg. This causes the animal to limp for a few seconds, making you move slower. These moments are unavoidable even if you don’t take any damage from Zurks or the drones. But it’s brief; the cat will heal itself by licking the wounded limb.
Stray has no difficulty settings or ways to avoid encountering life-threatening scenarios.
Keep in mind that if you want to unlock every trophy/achievement in Stray, you’ll need to deliberately die a minimum of nine times — this will unlock the “No More Lives” trophy. If you want to get this done, I recommend letting a Sentinel see and zap you in the Midtown chapter. It’s quick and far less horrific than dying to Zurks.
